Women are going to have a tough time registering to vote if a new Executive Order and the House-passed SAVE Act are enacted.

President Trump’s March 25 Executive Order* requires those registering to vote to provide a passport or similar documentation proving citizenship.  According to The Center for American Progress,** The SAVE Act “would require all Americans to prove their citizenship by presenting documentation in person when registering to vote or updating their voter registration information.”

The Center says, “More than 140 million Americans do not possess a passport, and as many as 69 million women, who have taken their spouse’s name, do not have a birth certificate matching their legal name…These women lack citizenship documents showing their original names, because they changed their names after marriage, and their birth certificates do not match their current IDs.”

The US League of Women Voters responded to the Executive Order by filing suit in April.  In League of Women Voters et.al. v. Trump et.al,***  a federal court judge has issued a temporary stay “blocking the US Election Assistance Commission from…adding a requirement to show a passport or similar document proving citizenship when registering to vote…The injunction preserves the status quo where…voters already affirm under penalty of perjury that they are US citizens.”

The Sashes Rise Again

One hundred years ago when women rallied for equal voting rights, sashes were often worn by suffragettes during parades, rallies and other events as a way to bring attention to their cause. A simple phrase “Votes for Women” drew attention to their message and helped to unify them with each other and their supporters. The colors of the sashes were symbolic – with purple for loyalty, white for purity and gold for light and hope.   Through their hard work and persistence, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote in elections, was passed on August 19, 1920.

Notably, the League of Women Voters (LWV) was established on February 14, 1920, in that same year. To celebrate the League’s 100th anniversary and the passage of the 19th Amendment, the LWV Mid Shore, Maryland, distributed replica sashes to storefronts in Cambridge and Easton. The sashes were made by Cambridge resident Anne McAnulty and lettered by Margaret and George Anzalone.

Now, after a century, the right of women and other citizens to vote is once again in jeopardy. In response, the League of Women Voters-Mid Shore will resurrect the sashes worn by the Suffragettes calling for “Votes for Women”. “Now, we will proudly wear our sashes in solidarity with those Suffragettes and the many others who fought for voting rights. As we work in the community to register voters, promote civic education, empower voters and defend democracy, the LWV-Mid Shore members will proudly wear our sashes in support of voting rights” said past president Kathi Bangert.

Glenna Heckathorn
Dorchester County

The voters of Easton made a clear statement on May 6: character, truth, and civility matter.

As Chair of TalbotDems, I do not typically engage in nonpartisan municipal races. But there are moments when silence becomes complicity, and this election was one of those moments.

In the Easton Town Council President race, Don Abbatiello’s victory is a rebuke of disturbing tactics. What should have been a thoughtful campaign about Easton’s future devolved into a smear operation. Residents’ mailboxes were flooded with campaign mailers riddled with distortions, personal attacks, and fabricated attributions.

This wasn’t a fluke. It’s part of a broader pattern, including in the last mayoral race and in Talbot’s last Board of Education election, where similar mis- and disinformation tactics were deployed. Let’s be clear: This is not how we build trust in our institutions or inspire faith in local government.

We must recognize what this climate costs us. Running for office is hard. It takes courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to serve. When elections are defined by deceit and personal destruction, we risk deterring good people from stepping forward. Toxic tactics don’t just harm their intended targets—they corrode our civic culture and discourage participation at every level. Do we want to be a community where fewer of our neighbors are willing to put their name on the ballot?

That’s why Don Abbatiello’s candidacy—and his win—matter so deeply. He chose a different path. He ran a campaign grounded in service, not slander. He listened, engaged, and refused to stoop to the politics of fear. His leadership style reflects the best of Easton: respectful, thoughtful, inclusive, and committed to all residents, not just those aligned with one political view.

In electing Don, the people of Easton showed that they value honesty over artifice and unity over division. They showed that even when misinformation floods, truth still has the power to rise above it.

Let’s take heart in this result and the historic turnout for this election. It shows that voters are paying attention. It reminds us that integrity still wins. And it proves that voting matters.

By Phil Jackson
Talbot County Democratic Central Committe

Last week the President hosted an interview with Terry Moran of ABC News in his newly gilded Oval Office. Trump drew Moran’s attention to a wall-mounted copy of the Declaration of Independence. Moran prompted the President to state his understanding of the significance of the Declaration. Trump disconcerted Moran by saying that the document stood for “unity, love and respect.” 

Amidst Trump’s deliberate and incessant saturation of the news cycle, this ignorant assertion should not be overlooked or forgotten. Indeed, it should stimulate Americans to take a fresh look at the Declaration. (Those who bought the $ 60 God Bless the USA Bible that Trump grifted before his re-election will find a copy of the Declaration included within.) Although the President has stated that the Bible is his “favorite book,” it is apparent that he failed to read the Declaration when packaging it with the Bible.

Most are familiar with the Declaration’s eloquent preamble that “all men are created equal” and are endowed with rights of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness….” Many, however, may not realize that the great bulk of the Declaration comprises a litany of ways in which King George III was despotically and tyrannically interfering with the rights of Englishmen resident in the American colonies. These were rights underpinned by an evolving, unwritten but sturdy British constitution. Even with the passage of 250 years many of the Declaration’s bill of particulars still resonate today.

Some examples will illustrate. Thomas Jefferson and other drafters accused the King of:

1. Preventing growth of population of the Colonies by obstructing laws of naturalization and limiting immigration;
2. Obstructing administration of justice;
3. Making Judges dependent “on his Will alone;”
4. Erecting a “multitude of New Offices” (think DOGE);
5. “Cutting off Trade with all parts of the world”;
6.  Depriving many of the benefits of Trial by Jury (analogy to lack of respect for Due Process);
7. Suspending our own Legislatures and declaring power to legislate in all cases ( analogy to Trump Administration’s program and budget cuts without approval of Congress); and
8. Exciting “domestic insurrections.”

Not mincing words, Jefferson et. al. concluded that George III “whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”

President Trump could profit greatly from reading the Declaration on his office wall and modulating his behavior in office accordingly. Certainly, he won’t find it a testament to “unity, love and respect,” but rather an admonition against despotism.

J.T. Smith II
Easton

Imagine a law requiring you to report to the government every time you—or a family member—stay in your own home. That’s not a far-fetched scenario. It’s part of a sweeping proposal that would dramatically expand local oversight of short-term rentals (STRs) in Talbot County.

Under the proposed legislation, homeowners would have to document and report personal stays or family visits—even when no rental is involved. That crosses a line, turning private life into a matter of government oversight. It’s an unnecessary intrusion into the lives of law-abiding property owners.

The proposed changes—drafted by the Talbot County Attorney at the request of Councilwoman Lynn Mielke—include a moratorium on STRs and layers of burdensome new requirements. These would force property owners to attend multiple hearings, resubmit paperwork for every renewal, and comply with strict rules that could make many legal STRs impossible to maintain.

What issue is this proposal trying to solve? Talbot County’s own data shows fewer than ten verified complaints about STRs in the past five years. There’s been no surge in licenses, no spike in disruptive behavior, and no breakdown in the current system. STRs are already regulated under a rigorous framework that is working.

Meanwhile, STRs contribute meaningfully to Talbot’s economy. According to the county finance office, in 2024 alone they generated over $6.4 million in gross revenue—supporting hundreds of local jobs in restaurants, retail, museums, cleaning services, landscaping, and more. These benefits ripple throughout the county, sustaining the vibrant tourism economy that so many residents and businesses rely on.

We all want safe, well-regulated communities. But this proposal goes far beyond what’s necessary or reasonable. It threatens the rights of property owners, imposes excessive regulations, and risks undermining a vital part of Talbot’s economy.

We urge our elected officials to reject this proposal and preserve a fair, balanced approach to short-term rentals—one that respects privacy, protects property rights, and supports our community.

Kevin Hartmann
Talbot Lodging Alliance

I never cease to be astonished at the audacity of some politicians, their certainty that voters are gullible chumps, too dumb or uncaring to understand and act on reality…AND that the pols can get away with anything.  The Talbot Integrity Project has experienced it in the past—you watched the Lakeside fight play out, right? 

Well, Frank Gunsallus’s brazen disregard for truth directly threatens the Town of Easton right now.  In a flier last week, Mr. Gunsallus had the chutzpah to falsely claim not just that he opposes irresponsible growth, but—wait for it—that HE IS THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO WILL STOP IRRESPONSIBLE GROWTH!  Bullocks, as say the Brits.  

Tell’em what they want to hear, Truth be damned!  Affordable housing notwithstanding, Gunsallus and everyone else knows that Easton voters oppose excessive and unbridled development, the ungodly traffic it brings, ultimately the erosion of those charms that make Easton and Talbot County so special.  So Frank claims to be the Champion of that view.  Do not believe it for a nano-second.

TIP believes Mr. Gunsallus is backed (in spades, and with embarrassingly unprecedented money) by the same group of folks who at the County level supported—and continue to support—the Callahan/Steppe/Haythe faction that were the salvation of Lakeside.  For three years that group (one a Democrat) simply ignored documented facts–aka, the truth–and charged forward doing whatever was needed to assure that outlandish development went forward undisturbed.

The Spy last week published a letter endorsing Mr. Gunsallus written by Tom Mitchell (like me, not a townie), the Trappe businessman and restauranteur who has so vociferously supported Lakeside at every turn. Very revealing, as birds of a feather do indeed flock together.  (I will add that the politicians who have prominently endorsed Gunsallus—Johnny Mautz and Tom Hutchinson in particular—would never speak up regarding Lakeside, notwithstanding many entreaties, having had the facts explained, and that the issues involved State level skullduggery (e.g., Dept of Environment improprieties).

Contrast to all this to the fact that Don Abbatiello has an established, a multi-year record opposing the very “irresponsible growth” that Gunsallus headlined in his misleading flyer.  TIP urges that folks vote for Don Abbatiello for Easton Council President.

Dan Watson
The Talbot Integrity Project

PS—Politics aside, in my experience Mr. Mitchell’s Mamma Maria bistro is terrific.

It is my pleasure and privilege to endorse Frank Gunsallus for the position of President of the Easton Town Council. He is the right person at the right time to continue the work he has started to address major issues facing this historic and beautiful Town.

Affordable housing, financial challenges caused by the State’s looming deficit, and planning and zoning projects (including cannabis regulations) will all benefit from his knowledge, energy, and commitment to excellence.

He is a passionate leader who cares deeply about Easton, is involved in various charitable works and local organizations, and believes wholeheartedly in the future of this town.

Tom Mitchell
Talbot County

What should we expect, if not demand, of the next President of the Easton Town Council? A proven consensus builder, an experienced leader, and a dedicated public servant and role model.

Don Abbatiello has demonstrated his consensus-building skills as interim Town Council President during the summer of 2023, as Ward 2 Councilman from 2019 to the present, as a member of the Affordable Housing Board since 2020, and as a member of the Library Board since 2023. In addition, he has consistently voted for measures favoring conservative growth, fiscal responsibility, civility, and citizen participation. He has the support of fellow Council members Curry, Davis and Montgomery and has been endorsed by the editorial board of The Star Democrat because of his leadership style.

Don Abbatiello has been an Easton Volunteer Fire Department volunteer for 16 years, at various times serving as President, Vice President, Trustee and Lieutenant. In 2024, he received the Department’s Firefighter of the Year Award.

In addition to being a volunteer firefighter, Don Abbatiello has been a dedicated public servant in his capacity as a public school teacher for 27 years. He is a National Board Certified Teacher and currently serves as his school’s representative to the Wicomico Board of Education. He is also an advisor to numerous student organizations.

While Don Abbatiello may not appear as flashy or post as many candidate signs around town as his opponent, it’s important for voters to compare the records of both Town Council President candidates before casting their ballots. It is equally important for voters to consider their contributions to our community — during the opponent’s roughly 1 ½-years’ tenure as Town Council President and Don Abbatiello’s as interim Council President, Ward 2 Councilman, Affordable Housing and Library Boards member, volunteer firefighter and teacher from 2009 to the present.

Finally, and unlike his opponent, who appears to be running based on political party affiliations, Don Abbatiello has chosen to run his non-partisan campaign based on his expansive record of public service.

Comparing the two, voting for Don Abbatiello is a slam dunk.

Clara Kelly
Easton